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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26815735">Goretober 2020</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/ghostt_bunny/pseuds/ghostt_bunny'>ghostt_bunny</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>No Fandom</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Anal Fingering, Anal Sex, Blood and Gore, Blow Jobs, Breathplay, Goretober, Goretober 2020, Hurt/Comfort, Injury, Multi, Polyamory, Prompt Fill, Suspense, This was supposed to be Goretober but some of these are totally just Kinktober</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-10-04</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-10-31</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 09:34:13</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Explicit</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Graphic Depictions Of Violence</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>31</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>12,627</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26815735</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/ghostt_bunny/pseuds/ghostt_bunny</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Decided to actually try to complete a prompt list this year! Settled on Goretober, a few days late on the first couple since I started a couple days already into October.</p><p>Prompt list by my friend Celia! And to be perfectly honest all of my fills for this are heavily if not entirely inspired by their art for these prompts, SO I’ll be linking their art for each prompt in the notes before each chapter.  Please go check them out!</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Vampire</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Day 1: Vampire </p><p>Art by Celia: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CF0CxX_jJ1g/?igshid=t0834h23jnb2">Instagram</a> • <a href="https://twitter.com/sweetsinbabyart/status/1311753589757562881?s=21">Twitter</a></p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>This one’s super short, but the kinky almost got away from me oops</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>A steady <em> thump </em>of a heartbeat, speeding up with fear, or is it anticipation? A tongue traces the vein beneath tender skin from collarbone to jawline. “You taste delectable, love, and…” an inhale of breath along the neck, “how GOOD you smell.” </p><p>An arm, slipping around to hold steady their prey, a tiny nip of fangs on skin. A hitched breath, a soft whimper escaping as fangs sink into flesh, and silvery moonlight slips between clouds, to light a trickle of red.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I’m usually floating around the Danmei areas here: <a href="https://twitter.com/ghostt_bunny">My Twitter</a></p><p>And I sometimes remember to post my cosplays here: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/ghostt_bunny/">My Instagram</a></p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Teeth</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Day 2: Teeth  </p><p>Art by Celia: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CF3HSxvjiYl/?igshid=1ugwn8izq9c6u">Instagram</a> • <a href="https://twitter.com/sweetsinbabyart/status/1312212330567016448?s=21">Twitter</a></p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Demon OC Lucien belongs to Celia! I’m just thirsty for him. ƪ(˘⌣˘)ʃ</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>This part of town should not be walked this late at night, too quiet here, with barely any light but for street lamps worn and creaking. Move faster, don’t look back, the brighter, warmer lights of safety aren’t so far away, and yet… </p><p>Ahead, just beyond the pale light of the nearest lamp, a flash of a smile, and now… footsteps. Steady, firm, moving closer. A figure, appearing beneath the lamp at last, and oh… that smile shouldn’t be, with teeth too sharp and white. He smiles gently, though, with those teeth showing through his cheeks where skin should be and yet, is not. A bow, polite and somehow charming, and a deep and quiet chuckle. “Ah, forgive me traveler, I did not mean to startle you. I saw you walking through, and thought you looked a bit lonely. My name is Lucien, I wonder if I might keep you company?” A wider smile then, a darker laugh. “This part of town is dangerous after all, one shouldn’t walk alone.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I’m usually floating around the Danmei areas here: <a href="https://twitter.com/ghostt_bunny">My Twitter</a></p><p>And I sometimes remember to post my cosplays here: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/ghostt_bunny/">My Instagram</a></p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Bandages</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Day 3: Bandages  </p>
<p>Art by Celia: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CF41jiKj-kA/?igshid=1decu8nt1l1x5">Instagram</a> • <a href="https://twitter.com/sweetsinbabyart/status/1312426371122110469?s=21">Twitter</a></p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>This one ended up so soft and I love it. </p>
<p>Please join me in reading Little Mushroom.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>A worried frown as gentle hands wrap a still sluggishly bleeding wrist and arm, torn skin carefully covered. “You scared me today, that was too close.” A slight wince as the wrap is ended, and held firm with tape. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to worry you… I didn’t realize I’d gotten that close.” Arms gently surrounding the smaller frame, face tucked into their neck with a soft hug that is immediately returned. “I know, just… please… promise me you’ll be more careful? If nothing else, think of my heart, it can’t take the stress of seeing you so close to danger.” A soft laugh and a stronger squeeze in return. “I promise I’ll do my best.”</span>
</p>
<p>A moment of lingering in the warm embrace, then gently stepping back. “Good… now let me see your other arm.” “My other arm? Those are just scratches! They’ll be fine!” A huff, and a crinkle of paper as a small bandage is pasted over one of the small scratches. “Well maybe, but… this makes me feel better.” A soft sigh and smile, and a slightly scratched arm held out in amused resignation, as another bandage is placed, and sealed with a gentle kiss.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I’m usually floating around the Danmei areas here: <a href="https://twitter.com/ghostt_bunny">My Twitter</a></p>
<p>And I sometimes remember to post my cosplays here: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/ghostt_bunny/">My Instagram</a></p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Tickle Torture</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Day 4: Tickle Torture</p>
<p>Art by Celia: <a href="https://twitter.com/sweetsinbabyart/status/1312759261521420291?s=21">Twitter</a></p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)</p>
<p>Rot and Gelb belong to Celia!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>“Wait… stop…no!!!” A breathless giggle, and a gasp, “I can’t, I can’t, Gelb, too much!!” The lightest touch of fingertips, tracing the sensitive inner skin of an arm, following the length of skin up to where a wrist is handcuffed to the other behind the taller demon’s neck, holding the smaller one helpless in his lap. “Too much? What do you mean too much my little gremlin, I never said it was too much when you bit me everywhere last time. And have you seen my back, Rot?” A soft, yet mischievous chuckle, “I think you’re getting exactly what you deserve.” </span>
</p>
<p>A clinking as the chains of a harness shift over squirming ribs, and the hand tracing the arm suddenly holds tightly to keep it up and steady, and with the other hand, a feather, ever so lightly traced over shivering skin, over each rib bone, and oh so torturously circling pierced, sensitive nipples. A shriek of laughter, a desperately arched back, “Gelb, ahaha… PLEASE!” </p>
<p>Gentle hands ceasing their torment, flattened palms rubbing soothingly over goosebumps. A soft hum, and a gentle kiss to a horn, and another to a finely pointed ear. “Color, love?” A few deep, steadying breaths. “Green.” Decisively said, no hesitation. “Hmm. Good. Then… I wonder,” the feather returns, traces downwards, over a hipbone, below the waist, teasing ever lower, “could I make you come with just this?”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I’m usually floating around the Danmei areas here: <a href="https://twitter.com/ghostt_bunny">My Twitter</a></p>
<p>And I sometimes remember to post my cosplays here: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/ghostt_bunny/">My Instagram</a></p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Pastel Gore</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Day 5: Pastel Gore</p><p>Art by Celia: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CF9zuJajLrt/?igshid=1mhknuahzfrwp">Instagram</a> • <a href="https://twitter.com/sweetsinbabyart/status/1313133305143996418?s=21">Twitter</a></p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>This was mostly written in a haze of nearly asleep, and then finished later on too much caffeine.</p><p>Once again, these two (Sal and Adonis) belong to Celia!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>A thunk as a first aid kit is dropped on the table. “This is an absolute mess, ugh.” Smears of pink goop cover nearly every surface from the door to the couch, which seems to have seen the worst of it. The figure still sprawled across the ruined couch sits up to look over the back, revealing smears of the same pink goop across his own bare torso and in his hair. “Do you really need that? Won’t you heal just fine without help?” An exasperated sigh. “YES, Adonis, I will, however I would prefer not to continue to BLEED ALL OVER EVERYTHING.” A small chuckle. “Oh yeah, I guess that’s a good point.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Silence settles, broken only by the sound of a suture kit being opened. Not even a flinch then, as needle and thread are pulled through sliced skin, sealing one of several deep gashes oozing the same pink goop. A pause as fingers trace gently over one of many bite marks scattered across skin. A soft huff of laughter with a gentle smile. A soft voice from the couch. “Sal? Uh…you good?” Eyes meeting across the room, and the gentle smile stays. “Mm…yeah, I’m fine.”</span>
</p><p>Features slide back into a slightly annoyed expression. “Really though, did you have to leave so many bite marks? You know marks you make on me don’t heal as quickly as any injuries I get.” A blush, and a somewhat abashed look in response. “Sorry… But honestly,” a pause, now a mischievous look, “if I’d known you bleed strawberry syrup I would’ve asked to bite you way sooner! You really are a snack, babe!” A pause, then joyful laughter and an angry shout. “…ADONIS!!”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Do the demons in this ‘verse actually bleed strawberry syrup? Or does it just taste like that to other supernatural beings? Tbh, I don’t know! I guess it’s just… food for thought (☞ﾟヮﾟ)☞</p><p>I’m usually floating around the Danmei areas here: <a href="https://twitter.com/ghostt_bunny">My Twitter</a></p><p>And I sometimes remember to post my cosplays here: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/ghostt_bunny/">My Instagram</a></p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Melting</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Day 6: Melting</p>
<p>Art by Celia: <a href="https://twitter.com/sweetsinbabyart/status/1313668727641116672?s=21">Twitter</a></p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I had major writers block for most of the day for this prompt, but once inspiration hit it turned into possibly my favorite fill yet.</p>
<p>Bringing back Celia’s boys Rot and Gelb for this one, and introducing their boyfriend, Kurosei!!</p>
<p>Seriously, though, we’re pretty much also just doing Kinktober at this point.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>The room is softly lit by only candles, though the figure lying in the center cannot see them. Completely bare, except for the dark cloth tied over his eyes, and the softest rope binding his wrists. He cannot see, but he can feel, the rope against his skin as he moves his hands where they’ve been placed over his head, and the silky fabric beneath him. He can also hear. The strike of a match as a final candle is lit, and the soft sound of bare footfalls slowly circling him. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Nothing but soft breathing and the footsteps then, until the other pauses his steps, and then, “…ah!” A gasp, the arch of a back, as hot wax spills from the candle held tilted in Gelb’s hand onto Rot’s chest. A small trail is made, beginning to drip down their ribs before the candle is held upright again. The skin begins to redden, and another few drips are tilted out, traveling down his stomach.</span>
</p>
<p>“You look beautiful like this, love.” Said so softly, reverently. Another trail of hot wax, trailing up his thigh, pulling from him a strangled moan. “I wish you could see yourself right now.… it’s alright though, you will later.” A soft touch over bound wrists, tracing the knot. “Kuro’s drawing this, drawing you, just like we talked about.” Another sound from a corner of the room, the soft sound of pencil on paper. “He loves the way you look right now too. He posed you so prettily, you’ll be good and stay there won’t you?” A shuddering breath and a softly sighed, “yes, I’ll be good.” A final gentle brush over wrists, and a kiss to his forehead, “We know you will, you’re always so good for us.” </p>
<p>The footsteps continue then, as pencil continues to move across paper. “Ahh, there’s still so much of your lovely skin to mark…” A soft whimper. “Do you want some more?” A swallow and a hurried, desperate nod. “What do you say? Come now, you know what to do. Do you want some more, love?” A shiver across skin, another, more desperate sound, and then, “yes, yes… PLEASE, I want… I want more.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Want to see what Kurosei drew? Follow the link in the summary to Celia’s art fill for today (*´꒳`*)</p>
<p>I’m usually floating around the Danmei areas here: <a href="https://twitter.com/ghostt_bunny">My Twitter</a></p>
<p>And I sometimes remember to post my cosplays here: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/ghostt_bunny/">My Instagram</a></p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Doll/Puppet</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Day 7: Doll/Puppet</p>
<p>Art by Celia: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CGC9ZecDHTO/?igshid=53p3yblqwa0m">Instagram</a> • <a href="https://twitter.com/sweetsinbabyart/status/1313849177907122178?s=21">Twitter</a></p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Aaaand introducing yet another of Celia’s OCs! Keeping to the same ‘verse as days 4 and 6, introducing Rot’s little sister, Grün!</p>
<p>Also hey look it’s not kinky or suggestive for once ٩( ᐛ )و</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>A faint sound from down a darkened hallway, wood rattling softly against wood, and what sound like odd footsteps. Humming, growing closer, the lilting melody of a children’s nursery rhyme, perhaps. A glint of wire, thin and bright, in the dim light from the end of the hallway. They move in jerky motions, seeming to come from somewhere above, leading down to the wooden limbs of the form now moving into the light. </span>
</p>
<p>A pause, and a hand formed of wooden joints rises and reaches forward, hovering over the shoulder of an unaware victim. A tap, a sudden gasp, the clatter of wood, and… “AAAAHHH!!” Rot hits the floor and rolls, earbuds yanked free as he does so. He locks eyes with the cackling human sized puppet behind him, “what the… Grün?!” The puppet that looks eerily like his little sister laughs harder before gasping, “ Oh goodness, brother you should have seen yourself, oh I’m so sorry but I couldn’t resist. You were just so oblivious, and that scream was DELIGHTFUL.” He sputters angrily before collapsing back with an exasperated sigh. </p>
<p>“Are you… possessing that thing?” She laughs, “Yeah, isn’t it AWESOME?! Did you know this thing was able to be possessed when you got it for me?” He sits up groaning. “No, of course not, I just thought it looked like you so you might like it. If I’d known you could possess it I never would’ve gotten it!” He pushes himself up and motions to the puppet, “just… don’t do that again ok? And for the love of everything, get out of that thing, it could be dangerous.” She laughs and gives a little wooden twirl. “Oh come now, brother, don’t be such a prude, can you imagine how much fun we could have with this?” He frowns slightly, “yeah, actually, that’s exactly what I’m worried about.” She ignores him and gasps in delight, “oh, OH, do you think I could scare those awful neighbors into leaving town?!” </p>
<p>
  <span>Rot gives up, running a hand tiredly over his face as she turns and clatters back down the hallway, eerie humming growing quieter as she fades back into the shadows.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I’m usually floating around the Danmei areas here: <a href="https://twitter.com/ghostt_bunny">My Twitter</a></p>
<p>And I sometimes remember to post my cosplays here: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/ghostt_bunny/">My Instagram</a></p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0008"><h2>8. Eldritch</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Day 8: Eldritch </p>
<p>Art by Celia: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CGFk5evjCl7/?igshid=70hs5lrlryni">Instagram</a> • <a href="https://twitter.com/sweetsinbabyart/status/1314219502733864962?s=21">Twitter</a></p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Had this one pretty much all written up in my head, but didn’t have time to type it up till now _(:3 」∠)_</p>
<p>(And then it got longer than I expected as I was editing oops)</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>These woods are darker than most, and quieter. They are old, very old, and the townspeople speak of them in hushed words. “You don’t just go walking in those woods, if you know what’s good for you. Things aren’t… </span>
  <em>
    <span>right</span>
  </em>
  <span>… out there. Shadows where they shouldn’t be, noises that just don’t fit.” They always pretend to brush it off though. “Ahh… those are just old wives’ tales though, no one sane would really believe that stuff! It’s obviously just tricks of the light or a tree growing funny.” Despite the dismissive words, though, no one travels into the woods. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>No one, that is, save one, who speaks of the woods much differently. The townspeople consider her as strange as the woods, this old lady with the little corner store full of odds and ends, weird books tumbling off of shelves and incense curling through the air. She speaks of the woods fondly, and unlike everyone else, wanders through them often, returning with what she calls her little treasures. Small bundles of herbs and flowers, an odd stick, or stone, or little mushroom, or even a feather, just a little bit too black to be normal.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“The woods shouldn’t be feared,” she says, “they’re just a bit lonely, and humans are so interesting to them.” She almost whispers then, like she’s about to tell a great secret, and perhaps she is. “They’re not quite on the same plane of existence as us, you see, so one can only notice them on the edges of our senses, something that’s there, and yet also isn’t.” She winks, then, and offers a cup of tea. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Tonight, the sky is clear, and the full moon shines brightly, yet the woods aren’t lit by it like they should be. It’s eerily quiet, even the crackling of leaves underfoot seems muted. The edge of the woods is in sight, now, and the lights of the distant town begin to come into focus and yet… </span>
  <em>
    <span>there</span>
  </em>
  <span>…just on the edge of peripheral view, shadows moving where they shouldn’t. Dancing like black flames across the ground, extending up into limbs too long, a smile too wide and sharp, and most prominently, a multitude of glowing golden eyes, blinking individually, causing slow, sporadic flashes. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Ah… but that’s not right, is it? It’s just a tree with branches swaying in the light wind, low vines and other forest plants dancing around it, and those lights…those are just a swarm of fireflies, blinking in the late summer night. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Or maybe the old witch is right. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Maybe the woods just want a friend.</span>
  </em>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I’m usually floating around the Danmei areas here: <a href="https://twitter.com/ghostt_bunny">My Twitter</a></p>
<p>And I sometimes remember to post my cosplays here: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/ghostt_bunny/">My Instagram</a></p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0009"><h2>9. Blood Starved</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Day 9: Blood Starved</p>
<p>Art by Celia: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CGH-HccjS-7/?igshid=jmcxaxlm02b2">Instagram</a> • <a href="https://twitter.com/sweetsinbabyart/status/1314576460573741061?s=21">Twitter</a></p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>A bit shorter again today, and I’m not as happy with it as most of the others, but it’s satisfactory ƪ(˘⌣˘)ʃ </p>
<p>Also could be a different take on day 1?</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>It’s been following them for a while now, the thing in the shadows. Not that they see, of course, it knows how to play this game, how to keep its prey unaware until the moment it strikes. How delicious, that sudden fear that quickens the heartbeat and rushes the blood. Fresh blood is always good of course, but it just…doesn’t </span>
  <em>
    <span>taste</span>
  </em>
  <span> the same from a willing victim. Isn’t as </span>
  <em>
    <span>satisfying</span>
  </em>
  <span>.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They turn into a darker street ahead, and he knows it’s almost time. A little bit farther, and he slips by, into a shadowed alley with only dim moonlight to show the way. Ahead of them as he is now, he listens to their footsteps approach, and oh so patiently waits. He can smell their blood so close now, and </span>
  <em>
    <span>oh…</span>
  </em>
  <span>he is </span>
  <em>
    <span>hungry</span>
  </em>
  <span>. </span>
</p>
<p>A few steps more, and they draw even to him. Half a step more… and he strikes. A scream that never makes it out, that moment of terror he so craves, and then…they fall unconscious, and it is calm once more. </p>
<p>
  <span>He cradles their limp form to his chest, and runs a sharp nail across their collarbone, pulling the top of their shirt to the side to expose their shoulder and neck. The nail traces over the delicate skin of their neck now, and nicks it, just enough to draw a drop of the warm, red liquid he so craves. He licks it from his nail with an agile tongue, and smiles with too sharp teeth. His features darken with blackened veins, and he opens wide his mouth. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Yes…</span>
  </em>
  <span>he’s been hungry, for so long now…but tonight…tonight, he will </span>
  <em>
    <span>feast</span>
  </em>
  <span>.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I’m usually floating around the Danmei areas here: <a href="https://twitter.com/ghostt_bunny">My Twitter</a></p>
<p>And I sometimes remember to post my cosplays here: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/ghostt_bunny/">My Instagram</a></p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0010"><h2>10. Impale</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Day 10: Impale</p>
<p>Art by Celia: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CGKvdQzDZrx/?igshid=1r7gfyunpra9m">Instagram</a> • <a href="https://twitter.com/sweetsinbabyart/status/1314946475323990017?s=21">Twitter</a></p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Take my googled knowledge of dying stars, add it to my love of fantasy celestial beings, and mix it all up in my brain blender and this is what you get. </p>
<p>I’m SO happy with how this turned out!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>He has watched the Star for as long as he has existed, born with it, </span>
  <em>
    <span>from </span>
  </em>
  <span>it, to be its guardian, its protector, its </span>
  <em>
    <span>god</span>
  </em>
  <span>. Has watched as its power grew, as it brought more and more light to their little pocket of space. His hands guide its explosive power, his hair decorated with pieces of its light. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>But something has changed, now. He does not know how long they’ve simply… existed here, but for the first time, he cannot control its power as he should. It is reaching too far, burning too hot. And he understands, then, with sudden clarity, that this is the beginning, the beginning of their end. For he has always been bound to the Star, in its birth and its life, and he understands, now, that he is bound to it in death as well. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>As time goes on, it becomes more unstable, and he knows that the time has come. He knows that if he does not do what he must, the energy of its ending will have nowhere to go, and the Star will implode in its death, becoming a darkness that devours anything that draws too near, a monster in the deep recesses of space.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And so he gives himself to the Star, a willing sacrifice, a conduit to control the chaos and destruction. He wonders if it should hurt, when it pierces through his heart with a spike of burning energy, and yet…he feels only peace. And as he burns away with the energy from the Star, he joins with it once again. As he once was born from it, now he dies with it, a supernova that lights their expanse of the heavens brighter than it has ever been. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Darkness, then, an expanse of nothing, and time moves on. Until a spark lights the darkness, surrounded by more, growing steadily brighter. Tiny stars, born from the end of the one before, with their own young celestials beside them. Time moves on, and they begin again.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I’m usually floating around the Danmei areas here: <a href="https://twitter.com/ghostt_bunny">My Twitter</a></p>
<p>And I sometimes remember to post my cosplays here: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/ghostt_bunny/">My Instagram</a></p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0011"><h2>11. Necromancy</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Day 11: Necromancy </p>
<p>Art by Celia: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CGNX-REj6CB/?igshid=1gjx5kk4x0a54">Instagram</a> • <a href="https://twitter.com/sweetsinbabyart/status/1315317881811341313?s=21">Twitter</a></p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Bringing back Grün and the boys again! I’m honestly so invested in these OCs now, I really love writing for them. </p>
<p>Grün, Kurosei, Gelb, and Rot all belong to Celia!</p>
<p>So uh… enjoy the Nekomancy? (Blame Celia for the pun, I had nothing to do with that)</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>The house was quiet. Too quiet, considering Kurosei knew Grün was home. He’d seen her walk in an hour ago, carrying some bags, and he hadn’t thought much of it then. But she’s never quiet, not unless she’s working on something. And Grün working on something usually spelled chaos in everyone’s near future. </span>
</p>
<p>He narrows his eyes in thought, and nudges Gelb’s head gently where he’s resting it on Kurosei’s lap. “Love, let me up, I think I’d better go check on the terror.” His boyfriend makes a sleepy, grumpy sound, but shifts enough to let him up. He wonders if he should alert his other boyfriend to Grün’s current suspicious behavior, she is Rot’s little sister after all, but Rot is busy, so he decides to let it wait for now. At least until he knows what she’s up to. </p>
<p>
  <span>He huffs fondly as he climbs the stairs to her room, “the lair of chaos”, as they’ve all affectionately dubbed it. She’s always had an affinity for the darker arts, oftentimes much to the detriment of her loved ones sanity and heart health. He just hopes there isn’t another puppet being assembled in there, he’s going to have nightmares about that last one for years to come. At least it </span>
  <em>
    <span>did</span>
  </em>
  <span> work to get rid of those neighbors no one liked. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He hears her humming as he comes up to her door, and sees that it’s partly open. Keeping quiet for now, he peeks around the edge…and immediately regrets it. There are small bones scattered across her floor, most still attached to decaying flesh and skin and is that </span>
  <em>
    <span>fur?</span>
  </em>
  <span> She’s very focused, arranging the bones in some kind of order, and he realizes she’s likely putting them back where they’re supposed to fit in the body of whatever that used to be. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Steeling himself, he taps lightly on the door frame. Her head pops up, and lights with an infectious yet still somewhat creepy smile when she spots him. “Kuro!! Look what I found! It’s going to be so cute when I’m finished!” He warily blinks at her. “Ah yes, what… is that… exactly? And when you’re finished doing </span>
  <em>
    <span>what</span>
  </em>
  <span> to it, precisely?” She giggles. “It’s a cat, silly, someone buried the little thing on the back edge of the graveyard recently. And you know how I’ve always wanted a pet but couldn’t find one that worked for me? Well when I’m done bringing this little cutie back to life I just know he’ll be </span>
  <em>
    <span>perfect</span>
  </em>
  <span>.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Kurosei gaped at her. “Back to…?!! GRÜN!! Are you trying NECROMANCY?!” She blinked at his paler than normal face. “Yes? It’s not like I don’t know what I’m doing, I did it to all those bugs and it was fine.” He immediately has a horrified flashback to the overwhelming cricket infestation of three months ago. </span>
  <em>
    <span>“Oh,” </span>
  </em>
  <span>he thinks with a shudder, </span>
  <em>
    <span>“that explains SO much.”</span>
  </em>
  <span> He shakes his head quickly and focuses back on the present. He glances around again at the somewhat gruesome scene. He knows they can’t really stop her, once she gets an idea she absolutely </span>
  <em>
    <span>must</span>
  </em>
  <span> see it through, and besides, none of her dabblings have ever brought harm where it wasn’t due. </span>
</p>
<p>He sighs in slightly grossed out resignation, and steps forward a bit to pat her shoulder. “Alright, alright, have fun… just be careful, ok? And if you’re going to keep that…thing…around, it’ll be entirely your responsibility. We don’t need it trailing guts or…or grave dirt or whatever around the house.” She laughs, eyes bright. “Don’t worry, don’t worry! I promise he’ll be the bestest boy,” she scoops up the skull and boops it’s nose cavity, “won’t you, little guy? Yes you will!!” </p>
<p>
  <span>Kurosei knows when he’s defeated, and backs out cautiously before leaving to warn Gelb and Rot. And if, later that week, they’ve all gotten over their initial trepidation and can’t stop happily filming Grün summon little spirits for the half decayed, yet still somehow adorable cat to chase, well…that’s nobody’s business but their own.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I’m usually floating around the Danmei areas here: <a href="https://twitter.com/ghostt_bunny">My Twitter</a></p>
<p>And I sometimes remember to post my cosplays here: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/ghostt_bunny/">My Instagram</a></p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0012"><h2>12. Pliers</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Day 12: Pliers</p><p>Art by Celia: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CGP0BIUjmjY/?igshid=ix9z4865knw4">Instagram</a> • <a href="https://twitter.com/sweetsinbabyart/status/1315660237131730948?s=21">Twitter</a></p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I mentioned pliers once, that counts, right? </p><p>My brain was NOT wanting to function today, so this is getting finished barely in time</p><p> _(:3 」∠)_  Here’s hoping tomorrow’s easier.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>The room is silent, save for the humming of a lilting tune, and metal clinking as tools are arranged in a tray beside a metal table. The humming figure turns, face hidden behind an eerie beaked mask. They finish their preparations, before pulling away the sheet laid across the table. A body is revealed, unmoving and pale in death, yet still warm; they haven’t been dead long. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The masked figure makes a noise of contemplation, hovering a hand over the tray of tools. “Hmmm…remove the limbs first I think, they’re just in the way now.” It is true, the table is not nearly big enough for the body with its limbs attached. A saw with razor sharp teeth and a scalpel are removed from the tray. The scalpel first now, sliding with ease through flesh and muscle, marking a circle around each leg and arm. Then the saw, with horrifying sound, dragging through bone to finally remove each limb. They fall to the floor, leaving new bloodstains over many old ones. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Footsteps moving away from the table then, the stumps of the severed limbs dripping steady trails of sluggish blood. Footsteps return, and a bowl is placed to the side. The scalpel again, this time opening wide the torso. A gloved finger pokes at the guts spilling out now. “Ah…yes…intriguing. Those should not look like that.” Hands delving deep into the open cavity with an efficiency born of much practice, and the viscera is removed to the prepared bowl, to be dissected and further studied later on. For now, though, there are more pressing matters. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Peeling back the skin over the ribs, and reaching then for the large, foreboding cutters. They slide it down over each rib, snapping through them with sickening crunches. Fearsome shears traded out for pliers, then, to pull each rib free.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The humming begins again, the blood still slowly dripping, and the doctor continues their work.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I’m usually floating around the Danmei areas here: <a href="https://twitter.com/ghostt_bunny">My Twitter</a></p><p>And I sometimes remember to post my cosplays here: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/ghostt_bunny/">My Instagram</a></p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0013"><h2>13. Extra Eyes</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Day 13: Extra Eyes</p>
<p>Art by Celia: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CGSdK5EDSa8/?igshid=rz91flhtz1qw">Instagram</a> • <a href="https://twitter.com/sweetsinbabyart/status/1316033357239779329?s=21">Twitter</a></p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Troublemaker demon Grün is back again! </p>
<p>OCs belong to Celia</p>
<p>Today’s chapter courtesy of heavy inspiration from Hua Cheng’s “Butterfly Vision”. (It’s almost HuaLianween! Please read Tian Guan Ci Fu ٩(^‿^)۶)</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>The runes are painted, the appropriate spell ingredients mixed, and the target material placed in the center of the circle. Grün stands to one side, four eyes critically checking over her own work. “Ok, I think that’s it! Binding runes there, shielding runes in case of unexpected backlash there, elemental totems in their appropriate placement, dwarf bat wings and eyeballs with permanent hold binding potion in the center. Perfect! Just one more thing and I’m good to go!!” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She gleefully rubs her hands together before grabbing a pair of glasses from the side table. She double checks the vision linking rune drawn on one lens and nods decisively before placing them atop the goopy pile of wings and eyeballs. The candles and incense are lit, and she begins to chant. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>A few minutes and a lot of smoke and questionable scents later, and the household terror is laughing happily over her newest invention. Surrounded by eyeballs flying around the room with their new sets of wings, she gives herself a mental pat on the back. “I…am a genius. Ah, the things I can do with you all!! And you’re all so </span>
  <em>
    <span>cute</span>
  </em>
  <span>!!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>A giggle, and she grabs the glasses from beside her. Sliding them on, she runs a finger over the small activation rune on the edge of one lens frame. With a small ripple across the inner surface of the lens, she can suddenly see through one of the flying eyes. With mounting excitement, she flips between all the views she now has available. “I can do so much spying around with these! Top </span>
  <em>
    <span>that</span>
  </em>
  <span>, stupid human drones that aren’t even remotely cute, now I can invade privacy </span>
  <em>
    <span>and</span>
  </em>
  <span> be adorable!!” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>A pause then, a twitch of a horrified look across her face. “Ok well I won’t creep on Rot. Or Gelb. Or Kuro. I’ve seen too much I </span>
  <em>
    <span>never </span>
  </em>
  <span>needed to know about </span>
  <em>
    <span>their</span>
  </em>
  <span> privacy.” As if summoned by speaking Rot’s name, a sudden shouted question from the kitchen, “Hey! Has anyone seen that jar of eyeballs I left on the counter?! I need them like, now!”</span>
</p>
<p>“……oops”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I’m usually floating around the Danmei areas here: <a href="https://twitter.com/ghostt_bunny">My Twitter</a></p>
<p>And I sometimes remember to post my cosplays here: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/ghostt_bunny/">My Instagram</a></p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0014"><h2>14. Plant Gore (not Hanahaki)</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Day 14: Plant Gore (not Hanahaki)</p>
<p>Art by Celia: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CGVDX8bDRvK/?igshid=p9hfcnqtu3a5">Instagram</a> • <a href="https://twitter.com/sweetsinbabyart/status/1316398656719908864?s=21">Twitter</a></p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I wrote this at 1am last night and made myself cry (T ^ T)</p>
<p>Sol and Luna belong to Celia!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>The lives of gods are not truly forever, a simple existence to the end of time and beyond. Should they wish to, of course, they would continue on, unhindered, an unending constant in the river of time. But they are beings, still, entities who feel every emotion as though they were mortal, and eventually, they tire, the long, long years and centuries and millennia wearing down on them, until they can no longer go on. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And when a god no longer desires to continue, they simply…do not. They stop, and they begin to fade. To die. But even in death they cannot simply end. For gods, death can take as long as their lives, because there is just too much of them now, too much of their life, their years, their very being. And the world must bring them back into itself oh so slowly, as they sleep, and dream, and slowly decay. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Sol and Luna have spent almost as much time now dying as they did living, and they are so very tired. They have gone to their end as they have done everything for so long now. Together, always together.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Even now, the echo of Luna’s gentle songs drift by them on the winds in the light of the brightest full moon, and strings of the most beautiful stars, carefully woven by Sol’s own hands, shine as though only just set into the sky. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They can feel it though, the end has truly, finally come. They’re barely existing now, their bodies mostly faded into flowers and soil, their godly energies growing the most beautiful and hardy of blossoms, which will never fade, even when they are finally long gone.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Where their hands are joined between them, they tighten their grip, and share a peaceful smile. “Are you ready?” A breath, a gentle sigh. “Yes…together?” “Together…always” They slip away, then, completely and peacefully and forgotten, at long last.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The flowers sway beneath the light of the moon and endless stars, watching over them, forever in bloom.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I’m usually floating around the Danmei areas here: <a href="https://twitter.com/ghostt_bunny">My Twitter</a></p>
<p>And I sometimes remember to post my cosplays here: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/ghostt_bunny/">My Instagram</a></p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0015"><h2>15. Headless</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Day 15: Headless</p>
<p>Art by Celia: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CGYG45fjfgv/?igshid=vxjq7dvjhijo">Instagram</a> • <a href="https://twitter.com/sweetsinbabyart/status/1316792259396997125?s=21">Twitter</a></p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I had this whole chapter written earlier in the day, then my brain decided to have an IDEA, so I started over ٩( ᐛ )و</p>
<p>As always, Grün belongs to Celia, and I suppose we share custody of Raine? He’s new! Celia drew him, and I started giving him a story.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>He’s reading a new spellbook when the eye flies in through his open window. He glances at it, smiles, and shifts his gaze to where his body is flopped on the bed. Just as he was expecting, there’s a knock on the door. His body gets up to answer it, and his best friend bounces through, patting his body on the shoulder as she goes. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hey Grün, not that I’m not thrilled to see you, but what are you doing here with no heads up?” She grins at him. “What, a girl can’t visit her bestie for no reason?” She cackles. “Nice head joke btw, haven’t heard that one in a while.” He grimaces, “ah dammit that wasn’t…it just slips out sometimes ok?! I swear it’s not intentional!” She raises a brow at him. “Ok fine it’s sometimes intentional but that’s not the point, stop changing the subject. You never just drop by for no reason, now come on, spill.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>As he’s speaking, his body makes its way over and picks up his head, lifting it and settling it into place on his neck. A little bit of blood squelches out where they meet. Grün deflates and plops down on his now vacated window seat. “Alright, alright, so I may have used one of Rot’s potion ingredients recently… totally by accident! I swear! But he’s kinda mad at me now?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Raine blinks at her. “Ah, so my place is the safe zone now? Hiding out here till he’s over it?” She smiles sheepishly. “Well yeah partially…but…I was also kinda hoping you’d help me replace the ingredients?” He frowns, a bit confused. “You can’t just buy them? What did you use?” She grins and gestures to the eyeball still flapping around his apartment. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Ah. The eyes?” She sighs. “Yup…can’t exactly get those on Amazon easily.” He groans, sits down on the side stairs, and takes his head back off to hold it by his hair. He knows what that means. One of Grün’s “adventures” is imminent, and as usual, he’s her backup. Not that he wouldn’t do it without being asked. She’s his best friend, and as often as she gladly listens to his latest spellwork theories, he gladly does his best to keep her out of severe trouble. “Alright, you know I’m in, what’s the plan?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“This is an awful plan.” He readjusts his grip on his own neck to hold his head steady where it’s looking around the corner. Grün smacks his shoulder lightly from behind. “Well it’s the only plan I have, ok? This is a human medical study facility, they have cadaver parts. Surely they have some nice human eye specimens around here somewhere. Just keep an eye on security, I’ll be quick, and stop worrying so much, it’ll be fine.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Ten minutes later, he’s racing down back alleys with his head under one arm and a jar of eyeballs under the other and things are definitely </span>
  <em>
    <span>not fine</span>
  </em>
  <span>. But…Grün is sprinting along just behind him, laughing, the angrily shouting security guard running after them is almost out of sight, and really…even if it pains him to admit it…he </span>
  <em>
    <span>is </span>
  </em>
  <span>having fun. He mentally sighs, and wonders for the possibly millionth time since he met Grün, how in hell’s name he ended up here.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I’m usually floating around the Danmei areas here: <a href="https://twitter.com/ghostt_bunny">My Twitter</a></p>
<p>And I sometimes remember to post my cosplays here: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/ghostt_bunny/">My Instagram</a></p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0016"><h2>16. Eye Gouge</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Day 16: Eye Gouge</p>
<p>Art by Celia: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CGaPgSLDhSn/?igshid=uh6tj29el909">Instagram</a> • <a href="https://twitter.com/sweetsinbabyart/status/1317123420526608384?s=21">Twitter</a></p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>This ended up being a prequel to yesterday’s chapter, to introduce Raine’s tragic backstory (my poor baby I’m so sorry for putting you through this (´༎ຶོρ༎ຶོ`)</p>
<p>Once again, Grün belongs to Celia, and Raine is our shared OC!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>He no longer feels the pain. He’s not really sure if it’s because he’s managed to wish hard enough to turn off those senses, or if he’s just gotten so used to it. He’s not really even sure how long he’s been held here. He vaguely remembers being captured, being drugged, and waking up strapped to a table, with pieces being carved from his flesh. He had screamed so much then, even as his skin regrew and knitted itself back together almost as quickly as it was removed. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Things only got worse after that. They could only learn so much from his skin, so they went deeper. Into his muscle, his tendons, his bones. Eventually they began to remove entire parts of his body, just to see how long it would take for them to grow back. They’d removed his head one too many times, he supposes, and it just…stopped reconnecting to his neck. They’d settled his head back into place after that, and wrapped the bleeding separation with bandages, maybe to at least have the illusion that it was still attached where it should be. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Today is the first day in a long time that he’s felt fear, though. Because today they took out his left eye. Gouged it from his skull and left it hanging, and it’s not the pain of it that scares him, he can’t feel that. No, it’s the knowledge that they’ll keep doing it. That like his head, it’ll just stop healing, and then they’ll start on the other eye, and he’ll be blind. And his sight…his sight is all that has kept him sane. </span>
</p>
<p>When he was strapped to the table for longer, he would read the boards of notes that he could see, and when they’d moved him to his cell between experiments, one doctor saw him reading the spines of the books on the shelf across the room. And for some reason he may never understand, whether it was some form of compassion, or just another way to study him, they let him have books to read. A new, random book every few days, tossed in to him. They became his escape, a way to lose touch with his cruel reality for hours at a time. But now…if they take his sight…he curls into the corner and feels tears coming to his intact eye. He wonders then, about his visitor. </p>
<p>She found him what he thinks must be weeks ago now. He’s only ever heard her voice, and he wonders sometimes if she’s just a hallucination. She says her name is Grün, and claims that she was exploring, and found the tiny air vent that leads from his cell to the surface. It was the first time he’d realized he was underground, and how long it had been since he saw the sky or breathed fresh air. He’d been cautious to talk to her at first, but by her third visit he figured it didn’t matter. She probably wasn’t real, or if she was, she must just be a trick by his captors, yet again. So he spoke with her, telling her of what they did to him, how much it hurt, how much he missed the stars. And she’d been horrified, and had promised him that she would find a way to get him out. He said “ok” but he didn’t really believe her. He didn’t have the energy for hope anymore. </p>
<p>
  <span>But now…now he finds himself wishing with everything in him that she is real, that she’ll help, that she’ll free him before he’s broken beyond repair. And like an answer to his silent wishes, he hears something new. Alarms. Alarms, and shouting, and the lights are flickering, and something…something different is moving on the other side of the glass window of his cell. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He stands, shaky, and moves toward the window. And suddenly, she’s </span>
  <em>
    <span>there</span>
  </em>
  <span>, a girl with extra eyes, and horns on her head, and somehow he knows, this is Grün. She spots him through the glass, and places her hand on the other side. Raising his own, he places it against hers with only the glass between them. He can barely hear her, but he can tell what she’s saying. “Raine? Raine! Just hang on a few more moments ok?! I’m going to get you out, just hang on!” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And she does. She and her family, they free him, and leave nothing but rubble behind. And later, when he’s wrapped in warmth and comfort, with Grün’s gentle hands guiding his eye back into place and helping him to finally heal, he thinks maybe…maybe it’s ok to feel again.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I’m usually floating around the Danmei areas here: <a href="https://twitter.com/ghostt_bunny">My Twitter</a></p>
<p>And I sometimes remember to post my cosplays here: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/ghostt_bunny/">My Instagram</a></p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0017"><h2>17. Guts</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Day 17: Guts</p><p>Art by Celia: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CGc-26EjOwT/?igshid=1od7ov8z9fsc8">Instagram</a> • <a href="https://twitter.com/sweetsinbabyart/status/1317465001867829248?s=21">Twitter</a></p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I feel so bad, Celia and I are just putting this poor character through so much. </p><p>Raine and Grün are back again for today’s chapter, with a small mention of Gelb!</p><p>Raine is our shared OC, and Grün and Gelb belong to Celia.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>He can’t help that he gets hurt sometimes. He’s always careful, of course, still wary of some other part of him being permanently detached, like his head is. But as it turns out, being taken apart as many times as he was still left it’s permanent marks, though nothing else visible like his head. His nerves are a mess now, being torn and sliced and absolutely wrecked too many times to ever be able to heal fully. </p><p>Most days it doesn’t bother him too much, He’s always aware of his surroundings and careful with what he does, and it’s usually fine. The medicinal tea Gelb came up with for him helps a lot. But on days when the weather changes quickly, when it gets rainy, or suddenly cold, then his nerves act up, and it makes him numb and clumsy. </p><p>Today is one of his bad days. It was too cold when he woke up this morning, and he’d been so stiff. He’d figured a hot shower was in order, it <em> had </em> helped in similar situations before. And it had this time too. Until he’d been finishing up, turned to step out of the shower, and his legs failed to work properly. He’s not exactly sure how it happened or what he hit on the way down, but he <em> is </em>well aware that it’s bad. </p><p>He glances down at himself, taking stock of what’s injured. And yes…that is <em> very </em> bad. He’s managed to completely gut himself, a tangle of viscera spilling from the tear in his lower torso. He grimaces, as although he can’t really feel it, he knows it’s going to leave quite a mess to clean up. </p><p>Using one hand to tuck all the entrails together as much as possible, he pushes himself up with the other hand into a sitting position, and scoots back to lean against the sink. He drags the towel over himself as best he can, figures it’s ruined already anyway and dries the blood off of his free hand as much as possible before reaching up behind him to the counter for his phone. He knows he can heal from this within the next hour by himself easily enough, but…she promised him he’d never have to do that alone again, and he’d really appreciate the company right now. </p><p>He sends a quick text. He’s grateful she lives so close, and he can hear her coming in just a few minutes. She busts right into his bathroom, and makes an unhappy little sound as soon as she sees him. “Oh sweetie…what happened?” Even as she asks, she’s already moving to wash her hands, then crouching down next to him to start rearranging his guts where they should be. </p><p>He winces, “not sure actually, legs failed me, hit something on the way down and well…” he motions at himself. He notices how worried she looks. “Hey…Grün…I’m ok. Not gonna kill me or anything, you know that.” She glances up at him, worry still present in her eyes, but with a soft smile. “I know, but that doesn’t mean seeing you badly hurt is something that’s just…ok. I know how much you’ve been through, and I don’t like you having to go through anything like it again, even just by accident.”</p><p>It’s his turn to smile now, and as soon as she finishes putting the last of his innards back inside of him, and his skin is knitting itself back together, he gently takes her hands with his. “And that’s why I know I’m ok. I know you’ll be there to try to keep me from getting hurt in the first place, and if I do end up in a bad situation like this, I know you’ll be there to help put me back together.” She sniffles a bit, before gently hugging him. “Yeah…always, you can’t get rid of me now.” He chuckles and squeezes her a little tighter. “Good, cause you’re stuck with me forever too.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I’m usually floating around the Danmei areas here: <a href="https://twitter.com/ghostt_bunny">My Twitter</a></p><p>And I sometimes remember to post my cosplays here: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/ghostt_bunny/">My Instagram</a></p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0018"><h2>18. Crystals</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Day 18: Crystals </p>
<p>Art by Celia: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CGfJuF3D6qy/?igshid=c22c8tf111nx">Instagram</a> • <a href="https://twitter.com/sweetsinbabyart/status/1317814076697956352?s=21">Twitter</a></p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Shorter than what I have been putting out for the last several chapters, but Celia said it has Dragon Age vibes which I am very ok with ƪ(˘⌣˘)ʃ</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>There is a legend told, of a treasure hidden deep in the hills. No one knows precisely what that treasure is, whether it be gold, or jewels, or some priceless artifact, but supposedly, if one could claim it, they would have wealth and power beyond compare. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The stories say someone once figured out where the treasure was, but they never agree on what happened to that person. Some stories say they claimed it, and disappeared with their newfound wealth, to live a life of endless luxury, while others say that they never actually found it, and died in their search. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The legend is mostly forgotten now, any maps or clues long forgotten to time. But deep beneath the earth, among the many glowing, ethereal caverns, the person of the old stories lives on, a young man ever so slowly being consumed by crystal formations.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The stories were partially true of course, for he did find the treasure, taking some for his own. And quickly after, learned the consequences of attempting to steal the living crystals of the gods. Their newest addition to their collection, forever bound where no one should ever venture, lest they face the same fate…a warning forevermore.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I’m usually floating around the Danmei areas here: <a href="https://twitter.com/ghostt_bunny">My Twitter</a></p>
<p>And I sometimes remember to post my cosplays here: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/ghostt_bunny/">My Instagram</a></p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0019"><h2>19. Chains</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Day 19: Chains</p><p>Art by Celia: <a href="https://twitter.com/sweetsinbabyart/status/1318416228348841984?s=21">Twitter</a></p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>And the kinky trio is back! Had a HuaLian photo shoot with Celia today and almost forgot about doing the prompt fill until the last minute. Oops. </p><p>Gelb, Kurosei, and Rot belong to Celia!!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Rot is exhausted, totally and utterly down for the count, won’t be moving from this spot for the next week, thank you very much. It’s exhaustion in the best possible way, though, so he’s really not complaining. He flips his head to the right, where Gelb is admiring the mess he’s made of his lovers, still casually holding the ends of the chains leading to Rot and Kurosei. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rot feels gentle fingers tracing down his left arm, and lifts his hand slightly to tangle his fingers with Kurosei’s. Kuro laughs softly and raises their joined hands to press a kiss to Rot’s fingers, then sits back and stretches like a cat. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rot watches his lovers sleepily, as Kuro turns then, and meets Gelb’s eyes. What he sees there has him smirking slightly, and he leans slowly over their supine third, gently running a palm along Rot’s chest, before running his fingers up the chain from Rot to Gelb, skimming over Gelb’s knuckles, and back towards himself over his own chain. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>His fingers tangle in the chain suddenly, and he pulls himself towards Gelb as much as he pulls the man closer to him. “Well you don’t look tired yet…are you already ready for more, love?” Gelb smirks back at him, choosing to yank Kurosei towards him by the chain, meeting him in a kiss over Rot’s exhausted form. He blinks up at them and swallows hard. Ok, maybe he’s not quite as done as he thought.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I’m usually floating around the Danmei areas here: <a href="https://twitter.com/ghostt_bunny">My Twitter</a></p><p>And I sometimes remember to post my cosplays here: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/ghostt_bunny/">My Instagram</a></p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0020"><h2>20. Hanahaki</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Day 20: Hanahaki </p><p>Art by Celia: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CGm3pEZr04Q/?igshid=1bsnvgn7r8lx9">Instagram</a> • <a href="https://twitter.com/sweetsinbabyart/status/1318904271333621761?s=21">Twitter</a></p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Sol and Luna are back for this one, at least I get to write happier stuff for them this time. (Oops I am racing, once again, to get this up on time.)</p><p>They both belong to Celia!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>They’d had a suspicion when the itch began, but Luna tried to ignore it. Tried to tell themself it was just an irritation, it would fade. But they were a god, and they weren’t affected by things like that. Then the coughing had begun, and worsened until they could no longer swallow them down. They hurt more and more, and then…they could no longer deny it. The petals came. Few with each cough, at first, but more each time until small, whole flowers were tearing their way out of their throat. And they knew. Luna <em> knew</em>, and they could no longer deny this. They were in love. In love with someone who could not possibly love them back. </p><p>Luna’s first reaction then was to panic. To panic, and to completely avoid the object of their affection. They hadn’t seen Sol for a while now, though they knew Sol had come looking for them. And it hurt doing this to their friend, but the thought of his reaction to the truth hurt more. They could not bear to lose him, but they were sure that if he knew this, they would. He would be gentle, of course, he always was. But he would leave, and they would be alone once more. </p><p>They knew dying like this would be painful. And they did not want to die. But…they could not be alone again, they wouldn’t be able to bear the loneliness, not after Sol had come into their life. He had been such a beautiful light, and the stars he wove for them were their most precious treasures. They wanted to sing for him again, to let their love weave into their songs for him. But they were too scared. </p><p>“Luna? Luna…please, please answer me.” The voice startled them from their thoughts, and they realized it was traveling through the very stars Sol had gifted them. “I…forgive me, this is the only way I could think of to speak with you. I’ve been looking for you. But I’m sure you know that, since you’re avoiding me so well.” Luna could only try to hold back the building tears, and try not to choke on the thickening stems crawling up their throat. “I need to speak with you…urgently. Something has happened, and I just…”, the voice drops to a broken whisper, “I <em> need </em> to see you, just once, <em> please </em>.” </p><p>The broken <em> please </em> is what breaks their resolve. They realize how stupid they’ve been. They can’t keep doing this. They brace themself, and force the flowers down for long enough to touch the stars, and answer back, in a torn voice, “I’m here, I hear you, I’m sorry. Please come…I need…I need to speak with you, too.” There is no answer, but they know they’ve been heard. </p><p>Within moments, Sol is there, and <em> oh </em> , he’s so beautiful, and they love him <em> so much </em> , and they cannot hold back the rough coughing, the flowers breaking free from their mouth. And Sol…Sol is crying, but only from one eye because…because there is a flower growing from his other eye, and Luna understands now, that he is cursed too, the victim of being the target of believed unrequited love, and they hate themself, because <em> they caused that, </em> <b> <em>they did that to him</em> </b>…and suddenly he’s holding their hands. </p><p>“Luna? Luna!” They’re jolted back into focus by his voice, and they struggle to control the coughing, and the endless flowers. He speaks again, his voice softer now. “These are for me aren’t they.” He squeezes their hands, and seems to be bracing himself. His next words are whispered, with a tone Luna can’t identify. “Please, I need to hear you say it…”</p><p>They know there’s no going back now, so they summon their strength, and meet his unreadable gaze. “I…Sol…<em> I Love You </em> .” A pause, then Sol’s breath leaves him in a shuddered sob. “You love me… <em> You Love Me </em> !” He’s cradling their face now, gently. “And you think it’s not returned oh <em> Luna </em>, I thought you knew, I thought I’d been clear enough, I’m so sorry, I should have told you sooner…” </p><p>They are so confused now, but his next words have them ceasing to breathe. “Luna I love you, too. I’ve loved you for ages now, loved you with all my soul, forgive me <em> I thought you knew </em>.” </p><p>They are frozen for a long moment, the words swirling in their mind until realization crashes down on them, <em> he loves them, he has for so long and </em> <b> <em>he thought they knew</em> </b> <em> and oh stars they’ve been a fool </em> . They can feel themself being able to breathe more easily now, the flowers beginning to fade, and they are crying, they are crying but they can feel the happiness and pure <em> relief </em>rising in them, and Sol is kissing their hand now. </p><p>As the last of the flowers fade from their throat and their lungs, they raise a hand to the fading flower in Sol’s eye. “You love me…” said wondrously, gently. “Yes, I do…and you love me.” His smile is so soft, and they nod tearfully, and they know they want to apologize later for letting this misunderstanding go on for so long, but for now…for now they lose themself in their lovers warm embrace, and kiss his tears away.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I’m usually floating around the Danmei areas here: <a href="https://twitter.com/ghostt_bunny">My Twitter</a></p><p>And I sometimes remember to post my cosplays here: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/ghostt_bunny/">My Instagram</a></p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0021"><h2>21. Stitched</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Day 21: Stitched</p>
<p>Art by Celia: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CGoL9WmL2Ed/?igshid=1v8i49jckr1m8">Instagram</a> • <a href="https://twitter.com/sweetsinbabyart/status/1319092020619653122?s=21">Twitter</a></p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>We just…keep tormenting this poor man. At least this is more lighthearted? (&gt;_&lt;)</p>
<p>Grün is Celia’s, and we share Raine</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>He hates the cat. Hates it with a vengeance. He swears he’s never doing this again, doesn’t know why he did it in the first place. That last part is a lie, though, he knows exactly why he did it. “Could you take the cat for a walk, Raine?” He mutters in a mocking version of his best friend’s voice. “He needs some fresh air, just 20 minutes or so to walk around the block, quick and easy, I promise!” He scoffs as he pushes his way back into his apartment. “Quick and easy my ass, that thing is more of a demon than any of them.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He takes a moment once inside to grimace at the mess that is his arm, before making his way to the cabinet across the room with his first aid kit in it. Several of these cuts are deep enough to need stitches to get the skin to stay together the hour or so they’ll need to heal. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>By the time he’s working on the last cut, suture thread pulled through skin with practiced ease, he’s not so annoyed anymore. That changes as soon as his current least favorite demon knocks briefly before sticking her head in through his front door. Correction, </span>
  <em>
    <span>second</span>
  </em>
  <span> least favorite demon. The cat still holds the first spot. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She grins at him. “So how’d it go? You two bond on your walk?” He squints at her. “Well, first off, that </span>
  <em>
    <span>thing</span>
  </em>
  <span> hates the leash. Took me almost half an hour just to get the damn harness on him. </span>
  <em>
    <span>And then</span>
  </em>
  <span> he wouldn’t actually </span>
  <em>
    <span>walk</span>
  </em>
  <span>, I had to drag him down half the block, potentially leaving…</span>
  <em>
    <span>pieces</span>
  </em>
  <span>…behind.” He takes an exasperated breath. “And to top it all off, when we finally make it to the other side of the neighborhood, the wooded side, might I remind you…</span>
  <em>
    <span>the damn cat decides to take off after a bird!</span>
  </em>
  <span>” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He’s vehemently glaring at this point, and Grün looks appropriately shamed. “Uh…are you…ok?” He throws his arms up. “No! No, I’m not ok because that tiny, rotting </span>
  <em>
    <span>devil</span>
  </em>
  <span> had me chasing it down through Mrs. Patterson’s </span>
  <b>
    <em>prize rose bushes</em>
  </b>
  <em>
    <span>!!</span>
  </em>
  <span>” He flops back onto the floor with a groan. “ ‘</span>
  <em>
    <span>20 minutes</span>
  </em>
  <span>’, you said. ‘</span>
  <em>
    <span>Quick and easy</span>
  </em>
  <span>’, you said. Grün, so help me, I spent the better part of an hour trying to keep up with your cat. And when I finally gave up and came back here, what did I find? I found the cat, happily lounging in the kitchen, while I looked like I went through a blender.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Grün opens her mouth like she’s going to say something, thinks better of it, and shuts her mouth again. She walks over and plops down next to him to help him finish stitching. He lets her, and figures it’s the least she can do after leaving him to the whims of that </span>
  <em>
    <span>thing </span>
  </em>
  <span>all afternoon. In the meantime, he’s going to take a well deserved nap.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I’m usually floating around the Danmei areas here: <a href="https://twitter.com/ghostt_bunny">My Twitter</a></p>
<p>And I sometimes remember to post my cosplays here: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/ghostt_bunny/">My Instagram</a></p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0022"><h2>22. Vomiting Blood</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Day 22: Vomiting Blood</p>
<p>Art by Celia: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CGqVp-cryJY/?igshid=vulwkqotuav3">Instagram</a> • <a href="https://twitter.com/sweetsinbabyart/status/1319396878245572608?s=21">Twitter</a></p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I had no clue what to do for this prompt for most of the day, and then this thing…happened. </p>
<p>I highly recommend not eating while reading this _:(´ཀ`」 ∠):</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Flesh has never been an issue. Not bone, either, or organs, or anything else. It’s always just been the blood. No matter what (or who) he eats, he’s never been able to keep down the blood. It’s not the taste, or the texture, or anything like that, he just…can’t stomach it. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He wonders if it’s caused by a remaining sliver of his humanity. That out of everything he’s done, consuming </span>
  <em>
    <span>blood </span>
  </em>
  <span>of all things is what still triggers it. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It’s no different this time, as he stands among the mangled remains of his latest meal. He feels his stomach turn violently, and raises a clawed, deformed hand to his face as he vomits up the freshly consumed blood. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He hopes this vestige of his humanity dies away with the rest soon. He really does hate to constantly leave so much to waste.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I’m usually floating around the Danmei areas here: <a href="https://twitter.com/ghostt_bunny">My Twitter</a></p>
<p>And I sometimes remember to post my cosplays here: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/ghostt_bunny/">My Instagram</a></p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0023"><h2>23. Poison</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Day 23: Poison</p>
<p>Art by Celia: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CGsLTAzLykt/?igshid=pr1caw5imo8f">Instagram</a> • <a href="https://twitter.com/sweetsinbabyart/status/1319653778317053952?s=21">Twitter</a></p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Rot gets to do his own thing today! Also, reference to previous chapters. o(^_-)O</p>
<p>Rot belongs to Celia.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>The kitchen smells a little funky at the moment, not that Rot really notices. He’s used to it with his brewing process, and everyone else has learned to clear out if he’s making something.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>His current endeavor bubbles away on the stove, a black concoction with some interesting specks in it, and an odd sheen to the top. He gives it a stir and nods approvingly. It’ll be highly deadly, that’s for sure. And while he does make many types of potions and tinctures and brews, poisons are by far his favorites. </span>
</p>
<p>He turns to his shelf of more dangerous ingredients, and takes down the jar of Deadly Nightshade. Is it overkill in this recipe? Probably. Is that going to keep him from making this one of the most powerful poisons he’s ever made? Not a chance. </p>
<p>
  <span>He puts a few drops in, and gives the concoction another stir. Now, if he can just find the eyeballs he swears he put in here earlier, this poison will be perfect. He grins darkly. The mosquito infestation in the back yard doesn’t stand a chance.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I’m usually floating around the Danmei areas here: <a href="https://twitter.com/ghostt_bunny">My Twitter</a></p>
<p>And I sometimes remember to post my cosplays here: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/ghostt_bunny/">My Instagram</a></p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0024"><h2>24. Drown</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Day 24: Drown</p>
<p>Art by Celia: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CGuysBoL_8X/?igshid=1hy719rirs31z">Instagram</a> • <a href="https://twitter.com/sweetsinbabyart/status/1320010544699629568?s=21">Twitter</a></p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Adding more to Raine’s backstory, and just making it more tragic. Heavily inspired by The Old Guard ٩( ᐛ )و</p>
<p>Grün, Rot, Gelb, and Kurosei belong to Celia, and we share Raine.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em>
    <span>Pain. Lungs burning for air. He can’t breathe…there’s water everywhere. </span>
  </em>
  <span>Raine is terrified. He doesn’t know how long he’s been in here. How many times his lungs have healed, how many times he’s revived, only to drown again. Doesn’t know how many more times he can do this. He knows, vaguely, that they’re watching him, the research team that is, he knows they’re taking notes, that they’re probably very excited for the results. They always are. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He thought when they dragged him from his cell earlier that he’d be spending the next couple hours regenerating chopped off body parts again. Like always. But this…this is worse than anything they’ve done before. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They’d chained him by only one ankle inside a clear glass tank, with a chain too short for him to reach any side. He’d started to worry then, because this was new. And new things were never good. They’d stepped away, and he’d had only moments to start panicking, before water flooded in.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He’d never drowned before. Had never experienced water flooding his lungs, didn’t even know if this was something he’d heal from. When the water first rose, he tried not to panic more and made himself hold his breath, but he could only hold it for so long. </span>
</p>
<p><span>And of course it turned out he could heal from this too. But this…this was </span><em><span>endless</span></em><span>. Coming to with a gasp that would immediately cause him to begin drowning again. Over, and </span><em><span>over</span></em><span>,</span> <span>and </span><b><em>over</em></b><span>, and…</span></p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“Raine!…”</span>
  </em>
  <span> a small sound beyond the water flooding his senses… “</span>
  <b>Raine</b>
  <span>!!” He sat up gasping, panicking, </span>
  <em>
    <span>screaming</span>
  </em>
  <span>…and that was air he was breathing. No water, no chain, just so much </span>
  <em>
    <span>air</span>
  </em>
  <span>, and he comes back to himself slowly. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He realizes then that he’s not alone. Warm hands are gripping his shoulders, and Grün’s and Rot’s concerned faces are in front of him. Grün is talking to him, he realizes then, and he tries to focus on her voice. “Hey, hey you’re safe, Raine. I promise.” She takes his trembling hand gently and places it over her chest. “Can you try to feel my breathing, match yours to it? You can, I know you can, it’s ok.” It takes him some time, but he does. He feels himself calming as his breathing slows, and everything else comes into focus, finally. </span>
</p>
<p>It’s late, he can see the clock on the bedside, and ah…that’s why this nightmare haunts him tonight. It’s raining, and raining heavily. It’s why he stayed with Grün tonight. The sound of too much water always brings back that worst experience. It’s not the first time he’s had to relive it, and certainly won’t be the last. </p>
<p>
  <span>Kuro appears in the doorway and walks over to sit on the edge of the bed, gently taking his other hand and warming it between his. “I made some calming tea, do you think you can drink it? I’m worried about the state of your throat right now, but if you think having liquid right now will send you spiraling again then I’d rather wait until you’re more stable.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Raine swallows past the dryness and soreness of his throat, and thinks about Kurosei’s tea. The sweetness of it, the way it always soothes whatever pains he’s feeling. There’s no panic at the thought of it, so he meets Kuro’s gaze. “I think…” his voice is a raspy mess, “yeah…I can drink it. I’m ok.” Kuro nods and squeezes his hand before leaving again to get him a cup. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Grün moves a little closer to hug him gently, “is there anything else you need right now? Or is just this ok?” He leans into her a bit more. Rot still stays by his other side, gently massaging his shoulder. He only now notices that Gelb is here too, sitting in the chair by Rot, giving him a warm smile. “Just…stay with me? And maybe…could you talk to me…I just need to not hear the…” he motions weakly towards the window. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Gelb nods and Grün hugs him a little tighter. As their voices rise around him and cover the sound of the rain, he thanks whatever powers there be once again for letting him end up here, with them, and settles into the feeling of </span>
  <em>
    <span>home</span>
  </em>
  <span>, and </span>
  <em>
    <span>safety</span>
  </em>
  <span>, and </span>
  <em>
    <span>family</span>
  </em>
  <span>.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I’m usually floating around the Danmei areas here: <a href="https://twitter.com/ghostt_bunny">My Twitter</a></p>
<p>And I sometimes remember to post my cosplays here: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/ghostt_bunny/">My Instagram</a></p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0025"><h2>25. Suffocating</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Day 25: Suffocating </p>
<p>Art by Celia: <a href="https://twitter.com/sweetsinbabyart/status/1320368194008338434?s=21">Twitter</a></p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I have no excuses, this is just porn ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)</p>
<p>Of course, it’s the kinky trio: Rot, Gelb, and Kurosei belong to Celia!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>They’ve been taking him apart for a while now. Hands trailing over ever more sensitive skin, warm lips and tongues and sharp but gentle teeth marking his skin wherever they can. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Rot is behind him now, patiently working him open with his fingers, trailing his free hand up his neck to rest over his mouth as he whispers into his ear exactly what they’re going to do with him. Kurosei whimpers softly, because </span>
  <em>
    <span>yes, please, he wants all of that, everything they’ll give him, he wants it so badly</span>
  </em>
  <span>. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He squirms a bit from the building pleasure, and there’s a soft chuckle from in front of him. Gelb has worked his way down his front, leaving blooming bite marks in a beautiful trail down his body, from his neck, to his chest, to his hip, and now he firmly </span>
  <em>
    <span>licks</span>
  </em>
  <span> the one just below his waist. Kurosei moans Gelb’s name behind Rot’s hand, and tries to shift his hips forward, but he’s held in place by Gelb’s firm grip on his hips. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He runs a hand over Gelb’s horns and over his head, tangling his fingers into his hair and tugging the way he knows his lover likes. His other hand he wraps around the arm of the hand Rot is using to cover his face. Rot places a kiss on the side of his head, and pulls his fingers out, pulling a gasp from Kuro when he does. “Good, love, so good for us…you know what to do right? Grip tight, just like we talked about.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He runs his now free hand up Kuro’s ribs and chest, and Kuro feels the lube left on his fingers as he circles them over his nipple, before leaving his warm palm covering it, gently kneading the muscle there. His other hand slides up further on Kuro’s face, to cover his nose as well. Kurosei relaxes into the touches, and wraps one hand firmly around Rot’s wrist, and clenches the other in Gelb’s hair. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Gelb had been slowly working his way down as Rot prepared their third, and now he runs his fingers down Kurosei’s hard length, before gently kissing the tip and making their overwhelmed lover </span>
  <em>
    <span>shudder</span>
  </em>
  <span>. He smirks, and locks eyes with Rot. Rot nods to him with an answering gentle smile, and he reaches around Kurosei to spread him for Rot, as Rot tightens his hand and fingers over Kuro’s face, cutting off his air. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They don’t waste time then, and Gelb licks over the tip once before taking Kuro all the way down the base, easily sliding him into his throat deep, as Rot pushes into him steadily, and settles all the way in. They hold there as their lover tenses, pleasure building with the sudden stimulation everywhere, and lack of breath only serving to heighten the sensation. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They wait until his hands begin to loosen, and Rot immediately releases his mouth and nose. He gasps for breath, whining as they pull off and out of him, then slowly begin to set a rhythm. He’s so overwhelmed, and he holds tight once more to both of them, feeling himself draw </span>
  <em>
    <span>oh so close</span>
  </em>
  <span> to the edge. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They both seem to sense that, and Rot brings his hand up over Kuro’s face again. He pushes deep and grinds into their practically begging lover, and whispers to him, “come for us”, as he cuts off his air again. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And he does, falling over the edge so quickly, as they work him through it until he’s squirming and flushed. Rot lets him breathe again, and he has tears at the corners of his eyes now, which Rot kisses away gently. He slumps into Rot’s hold, and glances down at Gelb, who meets his gaze with a mischievous look…and swallows. Kurosei feels a giggle build as he thumps his head back onto Rot’s shoulder. “You’re torments, both of you.” He lovingly runs his fingers through Gelb’s hair. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Rot chuckles behind him. “You love it, though.” Gelb rises to his feet and moves to sandwich Kurosei between them, making the man moan slightly as he realizes that Rot is still very hard inside him. Gelb smiles and kisses him sweetly. “Just relax, love, let us take care of you.” Kurosei realizes belatedly that Gelb hasn’t come yet either. He bites his lips in anticipation as Gelb’s smile melts into a smirk. “We’re just getting started, after all.”</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>*practice safe sex, people. No kinks should be explored without thorough safety research first, ESPECIALLY stuff like breathplay*</p>
<p>I’m usually floating around the Danmei areas here: <a href="https://twitter.com/ghostt_bunny">My Twitter</a></p>
<p>And I sometimes remember to post my cosplays here: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/ghostt_bunny/">My Instagram</a></p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0026"><h2>26. Experiment</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Day 26: Experiment </p>
<p>Art by Celia: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CG1I3_qL51G/?igshid=5t99q5pw47y9">Instagram</a> • <a href="https://twitter.com/sweetsinbabyart/status/1320739802745065475?s=21">Twitter</a></p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I love writing Grün being a mad scientist.(*^ω^*)</p>
<p>Grün belongs to Celia!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>The cat rubs around her legs, purring, and she pats him before moving him gently out of the way. “Be careful, buddy, the cauldron’s very hot, don’t want you getting burned.” She straightens up to peer into the cauldron at the bubbling liquid inside. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Grün wrinkles her nose a bit. It certainly smells stranger than most things she brews. She makes a note of that in her experiment logbook, and also notes that at least it smells better than the last attempt. She glances up at the few scorch marks she wasn’t able to get off of the ceiling. She shakes her head and mutters to herself, “still not entirely sure how that blew up, there wasn’t anything combustible even </span>
  <em>
    <span>in</span>
  </em>
  <span> there besides the Red Bull.” She picks up a beaker full of a tar-like substance. “Hopefully cooking it down has erased that tendency, I need the power without the </span>
  <em>
    <span>boom</span>
  </em>
  <span>.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Turning back to her cauldron, Grün takes a steadying breath and begins to pour in the goopy Red Bull remains. Stepping back quickly after the last drop goes in, she waits a few seconds. No explosions occur, and she smiles, pleased, before moving forward again to stir the now thicker, sticky liquid. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>A few minutes later, she deems it done, and reaches for a stone from a pile on the table. Putting it carefully into a ladle, she lowers it into the goop. Removing it fairly quickly, she makes sure it’s entirely covered before dumping it out into a jar and sealing the top. Then she waits. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Moments later, she’s jumping for joy at the results. “I did it! I did it, I did it, I did it!!” The cat meows at her as she twirls by and she stops to bounce excitedly back over to where it sits. “Ok little one, are you ready? It’s perfect now, you just let me know you’re ready and we can do this thing!” The cat licks his bony paw before meowing and tapping her hand. She squeals with barely contained glee and scoops up the cat, taking him over to a tray on the table big enough for him to stand in. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Ok, now hold still, I’ll be done in just a bit.” She scoops out more of the goop into a bowl and uses a cooling charm to bring the temperature down enough to touch it without harm. Sliding a pair of gloves on, she begins to cover the cat in the sticky substance. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>When she’s finished a little while later, she steps back again to wait. It takes a little longer this time, but soon, the goop has been absorbed into the cat, and </span>
  <em>
    <span>wings </span>
  </em>
  <span>have emerged from his back. He shakes them out a bit and runs around the table flapping them around, until he seems to get the hang of it and launches himself off the table, wobbling and dipping a bit until he finally soars around the room. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Grün laughs in delight. “See, I was right! All it takes is a little extra magic and Red Bull really </span>
  <em>
    <span>can</span>
  </em>
  <span> give you wings!!” As the cat continues to enjoy its new appendages (and higher view), Grün glances at the can of Monster she’s been drinking and rubs her hands together with a gleeful giggle. “Well since Red Bull was a resounding success, I wonder what </span>
  <em>
    <span>that</span>
  </em>
  <span> could do!”</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Did I buy a pair of fake eyes today so I can definitively add Grün to my cosplans? Yes, yes I did. </p>
<p>I’m usually floating around the Danmei areas here: <a href="https://twitter.com/ghostt_bunny">My Twitter</a></p>
<p>And I sometimes remember to post my cosplays here: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/ghostt_bunny/">My Instagram</a></p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0027"><h2>27. Bite Marks</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Day 27: Bite Marks</p>
<p>Art by Celia: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CG2kwOFLuvA/?igshid=1wdrgm42k6w31">Instagram</a> • <a href="https://twitter.com/sweetsinbabyart/status/1321115897411608581?s=21">Twitter</a></p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Have I mentioned that all the demons in this AU bleed in dessert/sweets flavors? Well I have now ٩( ᐛ )و</p>
<p>Of course it’s the kinky trio again, you know the drill; Rot, Gelb, and Kurosei (and Grün!) belong to Celia.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Grün was going to yell at them so much for this. He could hear her voice in his head already, “Just because our blood tastes like dessert doesn’t mean you can have kinky blood-sucking sex in our </span>
  <em>
    <span>kitchen</span>
  </em>
  <span>!” In their defense, they didn’t start this on purpose. They’d been working on something, and Rot had nicked his finger with the knife. It wasn’t his fault that Gelb decided the best way to clean his finger was to </span>
  <em>
    <span>lick the blood away</span>
  </em>
  <span>. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Rot is yanked out of his thoughts when Kurosei’s nails scrape down the inside of his thigh. His lover chuckles. “There you are, don’t go drifting off on us now.” He runs his warm palm back up over the lightly bleeding scratch marks he left behind, raising his palm to lick the blood from it. Rot gasps in pained pleasure as Gelb sinks his teeth into Rot’s shoulder, sucking and licking at the vanilla cream flavored blood that wells out.</span>
</p>
<p>He presses back farther into Gelb’s lap, and hazily watches a few more drops of blood hit the floor. Oh yeah, Grün is definitely going to be pissed, but that’s a problem for future Rot. He reaches out and tangles a hand in Kurosei’s hair, pulling the smirking demon down to lick his way along the still bleeding scratches, and leaving a few more bites along the way. Current Rot has far better things to be concerned with.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I’m usually floating around the Danmei areas here: <a href="https://twitter.com/ghostt_bunny">My Twitter</a></p>
<p>And I sometimes remember to post my cosplays here: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/ghostt_bunny/">My Instagram</a></p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0028"><h2>28. Amputee</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Day 28: Amputee</p><p>Art by Celia: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CG50m8ar8nI/?igshid=rt2yeh6hj6tz">Instagram</a> • <a href="https://twitter.com/sweetsinbabyart/status/1321577140475711488?s=21">Twitter</a></p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Once again, we torture Raine<br/> _(:3 」∠)_</p><p>Part 1 of 2, second half will be tomorrow’s chapter. </p><p>Raine belongs to Celia and I!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>The table was slick around him. He knew it was his blood, and that there was a lot of it. He must have passed out at some point, maybe after the third or fourth time they took the saw to him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Something felt off this time though. He was still hazy, and in so much pain, </span>
  <em>
    <span>always</span>
  </em>
  <span> in pain, but he tried to focus. He could vaguely make out the blurry shapes of the latest research team moving around him, but no matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t focus on any of them enough to make out features. In fact, everything outside of his immediate personal bubble seemed to be blurry and out of focus. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He began to take stock of himself then. He could move his head, so it must still be bandaged to his neck, they hadn’t removed it today. His face felt intact, and his torso. But his limbs…his limbs were gone. That wasn’t new, they’d taken them so many times now. And yet…and yet he couldn’t feel them healing. He froze, and realized that </span>
  <em>
    <span>that’s what’s wrong</span>
  </em>
  <span>. </span>
  <b>
    <em>He wasn’t healing. </em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <span>His breathing began to pick up, panic setting in, and he tried to speak, to tell someone that </span>
  <em>
    <span>he couldn’t heal he would die please, someone, help</span>
  </em>
  <span>. But the shapes around him were fading, they were </span>
  <em>
    <span>leaving</span>
  </em>
  <span>, they didn’t realize he wasn’t healing, </span>
  <em>
    <span>they didn’t know and they were leaving him to die alone</span>
  </em>
  <span>. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He was crying by now, struggling to move, and he managed to raise his right arm, to try to reach out, but it was </span>
  <b>
    <em>gone</em>
  </b>
  <span>, severed and bloody and he knew his other limbs were the same. He watched as the blood kept flowing, and the pain felt like more than it ever had.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He could feel himself getting weaker, his sight getting dim, and he gasped for breath that seemed so far away, but his limbs wouldn’t grow back, no matter how hard he begged and </span>
  <em>
    <span>hoped</span>
  </em>
  <span> and all his thoughts became </span>
  <em>
    <span>please…not like this. I don’t want to die alone…</span>
  </em>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I’m usually floating around the Danmei areas here: <a href="https://twitter.com/ghostt_bunny">My Twitter</a></p><p>And I sometimes remember to post my cosplays here: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/ghostt_bunny/">My Instagram</a></p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0029"><h2>29. Nightmare</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Day 29: Nightmare </p>
<p>Art by Celia: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CG8bSqvr59x/?igshid=1a7l3fg1k8b2a">Instagram</a> • <a href="https://twitter.com/sweetsinbabyart/status/1321942465746817027?s=21">Twitter</a></p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>May I offer some comfort for yesterday’s pain? Here’s part 2 to yesterday’s chapter!</p>
<p>Introducing a new character, we have yet to name him, but he’ll definitely be featured in Celia’s art in the future and probably some more of my drabbles!</p>
<p>These two belong to Celia (and me a little bit).</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Raine wakes with a gasp, arm stretched out in front of him, reaching towards phantoms of his mind that fade as he wakes. He has to take a moment to adjust to waking, realizing that his whole arm was in fact still there, and that he could breathe, and that he wasn’t on that table anymore. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>There’s a warm weight on his other arm, shifting, and he realizes his boyfriend has awakened too, probably when he did. He only now registers the soft voice speaking to him, and the hand gently pulling him closer. “Hey you’re ok, just breathe, listen to my voice. You’re </span>
  <em>
    <span>safe, </span>
  </em>
  <span>I’ve got you.” He could feel the tears in the corners of his eyes and follows the sound of the voice and the rhythm of the heartbeat next to him until his breaths finally begin slowing, shaky still, but much calmer. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He turns slightly to face his boyfriend, and notices the worry written all over his face. “Sorry, didn’t mean to wake you.” The demon beside him sighs and rolls a little closer, practically on top of him, and traces gentle fingers along Raine’s face, tapping his lips lightly with the tips of his fingers. “Hey, no, don’t do that. Not your fault, I’m here for everything remember, that means the nightmares and other not so great stuff too.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Raine knows it’s useless to argue. His love can be quite stubborn in his caretaking. He lets his eyes slide closed and breathes a shuddering breath, leaning into his boyfriend’s warmth, wrapping his arm around him and tracing the tattoo down his side.</span>
</p>
<p>He doubts he’ll be able to sleep much more tonight. Once the nightmares take hold it becomes quite difficult to banish them, at least for a while. For now though, he lets his lover hold him close and whisper reassurances to him in the dark, and reminds himself that he’s safe now. He’s not alone anymore.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I’m usually floating around the Danmei areas here: <a href="https://twitter.com/ghostt_bunny">My Twitter</a></p>
<p>And I sometimes remember to post my cosplays here: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/ghostt_bunny/">My Instagram</a></p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0030"><h2>30. Glass</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Day 30: Glass</p>
<p>Art by Celia: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CG-M1owLPuq/?igshid=as82af7fdz14">Instagram</a> • <a href="https://twitter.com/sweetsinbabyart/status/1322216764801867776?s=21">Twitter</a></p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>The Plague Doctor from day 12 is back! I may have totally based his characterization on Dr. McCoy. <br/>(￣∀￣)</p>
<p>These characters belong to Celia! And please check out the art for today cause I asked for a sexy Plague Doctor and hot damn did Celia deliver ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>The knock on the door is rather unwelcome considering how late it is. And there haven’t been any plague cases nearby lately, so there shouldn’t be a reason any visitor couldn’t wait until morning. Nevertheless, the doctor makes his way through the front hall, swinging the door open with no effort to conceal his irritation. “Are you aware of what time-” he cuts himself off when he registers the sight in front of him. He blinks. “What the hell happened to you?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The man standing on the clinic doorstep looks rather sheepish, and averts his eyes somewhat with a blush. “Uh…small incident…with a window?” The doctor raises an unimpressed eyebrow. “And you’re on my doorstep at this </span>
  <em>
    <span>very late </span>
  </em>
  <span>hour because…?” The man shifts his weight and flinches at the movement. “I…well, that is…I thought…” The doctor rolls his eyes and steps back. “Oh stop stammering. You’re here already, might as well come in. You know where the table is, go sit down. And get that shirt off if you can.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The man gives him a grateful look, and steps past to head inside. The doctor sighs and shuts the door, turning to move after him, rolling up his sleeves as he goes. As he steps to the cabinets to gather his equipment and wash his hands, he glances towards the man now struggling out of his shirt. “This is the third time this month you’ve been here. Quite accident prone, are you?” He hides a smirk at the blush and sputter caused by his words. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>By now, the man on his exam table has managed to remove his shirt, and the doctor can see the damage in its entirety. “Well, that is certainly a lot of glass.” He picks up his forceps, and meets his patient’s eyes with a stern look. “Nothing looks too deep, but don’t go moving around while I’m doing this.” The man nods, and the doctor begins carefully pulling each piece of glass free from his skin, wiping blood away as he goes. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He makes an inquisitive sound as he works. “I don’t know why you keep coming back here, or are you really that oblivious? I’m a Plague Doctor, not a surgeon.” He motions to the side momentarily, indicating his mask where it hangs on the wall. The man gives a small, mischievous smile. “Well you’re not wearing the mask right now are you? So right now you’re just a doctor. And doctors patch people up.” The doctor snaps his head up. “YOU…!” There’s a burst of delighted laughter from the man, and the doctor finds himself rather flustered, suddenly. “Would you just…behave?! So help me, </span>
  <em>
    <span>I will get the leeches!” </span>
  </em>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I’m usually floating around the Danmei areas here: <a href="https://twitter.com/ghostt_bunny">My Twitter</a></p>
<p>And I sometimes remember to post my cosplays here: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/ghostt_bunny/">My Instagram</a></p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0031"><h2>31. Combine Two (Stitches and Pastel Gore)</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Day 31: Combine Two (Stitches and Pastel Gore)</p>
<p>Art by Celia: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CHB-ziKL6SN/?igshid=1kmvl92pan7jy">Instagram</a> • <a href="https://twitter.com/sweetsinbabyart/status/1322720603175079938?s=21">Twitter</a></p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Happy Halloween! Wrapping up this work with one more chapter featuring the Plague Doctor! Ended up loving how yesterday’s prompt fill turned out, so we made today a bit of a continuation. </p>
<p>These two belong to Celia! We’re definitely bringing them back at some point in the future, maybe with names by then? <br/>ƪ(˘⌣˘)ʃ</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>“You’re back again, hm?” A sigh. “Alright, what did you do this time?” The man standing once again on the doctor’s doorstep looks much worse for wear this time, and can’t even seem to be bothered with the energy it would take to look sheepish and try to stammer through an excuse like normal. The doctor notices this, and straightens with a suddenly worried frown. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“My god, you’ve really gotten messed up this time, haven’t you?” He moves more quickly then, the lazy mild annoyance from before completely forgotten, and pulls the man inside, guiding him down the hall to his workroom, and gently seating him on the table. “Don’t move, alright? Let me grab my things, you look like you’ve lost a good amount of blood.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He prepares what he needs quickly and quietly, with none of the usual teasing, and makes his way back to the table. He helps the man to remove his shirt, and starts cleaning and taking stock of his wounds. “Some of these are deep, I’m going to need to stitch them.” The man nods tiredly. “I figured as much.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He averts his eyes slightly then, and swallows nervously. “I know I’ve said it before, but really, thank you for, well, patching me up all the time.” The doctor makes a small sound of acknowledgment, and quirks an eyebrow. “You’re welcome. Although I must say, one would think you’re getting so frequently injured on purpose just to see me.” Now that…that has the man looking much more like he usually does, flustered and stammering. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The doctor looks up at him and chuckles. “I thought so. But this time? This wasn’t on purpose, I hope.” He prepares a needle and thread while the man collects himself. “I…uh, no. No, this time wasn’t on purpose. There was…there was an accident, in town, and I was just…trying to help, and well…” he motions to the still bleeding cuts over his arms and torso. “There were a few others injured, they got taken care of at the clinic in town, but I just wanted…” he stops, and blushes more furiously. “I’m sorry…I didn’t mean to trouble you so much.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The doctor stops stitching, staring at the man and taking a moment to collect his own thoughts. “I don’t mind. I haven’t minded. I know I tend to seem rather annoyed, but I really haven’t minded.” He’s holding the man’s wrist gently now. “And this time…I’m glad you trusted me to take care of you.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The man blinks at him in surprise, and then smiles softly. The doctor gives him a gentle smile in return, before adding “Although, you know you didn’t have to be hurt to see me, you could’ve just…come by to visit? Talked with me?” He laughs as the man shrinks a little in embarrassment. “I…you’re right. I suppose getting hurt as an excuse was pretty dumb.” He looks nervous again. “I could…try doing that? Just stop by and visit sometimes? Without injuries, of course, um…that is, if you don’t mind?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The doctor locks eyes with him, and smiles gently, bringing the arm he’s holding up towards him more. Dropping his gaze, he places a soft kiss over the stitches he just made, before looking up again, wrist still in his grasp. “Or we could consider the awkward visiting part of this courtship over, and you could stay for dinner tonight?” </span>
</p>
<p>The man seems frozen for a moment, and the doctor wonders idly if the poor thing is ever going to stop blushing. Not that he’s complaining, it’s a good look on him. His poor patient finally manages to collect himself, and relaxes. “Dinner, hm? I think I’d like that.” The doctor grins, and places another gentle kiss on the stitched skin. “Alright then, dinner it is. Now hold still and let me finish this. Don’t want you bleeding out on our first date now, do we?”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Aaand that’s a wrap for this Goretober work! Hope all the readers enjoyed, I definitely had fun writing these. Ended up getting very invested in some new OCs, and even adding one to my cosplans! </p>
<p>Now I’m gonna go watch the new Tian Guan Ci Fu Donghua, I’ve been excited for this all month. Happy HuaLianween to my fellow TGCFers!!</p>
<p>I’m usually floating around the Danmei areas here: <a href="https://twitter.com/ghostt_bunny">My Twitter</a></p>
<p>And I sometimes remember to post my cosplays here: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/ghostt_bunny/">My Instagram</a></p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
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